The Next Chapter
by ArtemisFrimm
Summary: James S. Potter is starting up his third year at Hogwarts and for almost nineteen years, there had been peace, until now, members of the Order are being killed off and James and his friends may be facing the Third Wizarding War. Things aren't as they see.


**Chapter One:**

_** In which we are introduced to the author, the characters, and are properly sorted.**_

"See you later Al. Watch out for the thestrals."

"I thought they were invisible? _You said they were invisible!_"

But James merely laughed, permitted his mother to kiss him, gave his father a fleeting hug, then leapt onto the rapidly filling train to find his friends. He wandered through the train compartments until he came to the compartment where he spotted his two friends.

Zari was glaring at a girl with electric blue hair while Wilbur watched nervously from behind his wire-rimmed glasses and _Hogwarts: A History _book.

"I don't care if you _are _new, or if you're from America, or if your father _is _the head of the International Magical Incorporation. If you don't get out of our compartment _now _I will hex you so badly that the Cruciatus curse will seem minor!"James rolled his eyes; it wasn't even the first day of school and already Zari was picking fights with other students. Shoving his hands into his pockets, James strolled into the compartment. "Hey." Zari narrowed her eyes at him while Wilbur and the blue-haired girl looked relieved. "I'm James. James Potter."

The girl gave him a bright smile and shook his hand, "I'm Luna Lou Luffman. But you can just call me Lou."

"Well _Lou. _Do you mind leaving, before I kick your skinny ass out of here myself?" Zari was practically gave Zari a devious grin, he knew this was going to get under her skin but, "Lou you wanna sit with us until we get to Hogwarts?"

He was right; Zari gave him her signature death glare before sitting in the seat next to Wilbur, who looked as though he would rather be anywhere other than next to an angry Zarina Davies.

"I uh, I found this really awesome fungus over the summer growing under my brother's bed a few weeks ago." Wilbur said breaking the uncomfortable tension.

James nodded slowly. He was grateful for Wilbur's attempt at breaking the silence, but his friend was just horrible at small talk. "Oh?"

Wilbur nodded enthusiastically, "Yeah, I looked it up and found out that it's actually the Chorioactis geaster or Devil's Cigar. " He pulled out a small jar with a star-shaped mushroom looking thing inside. "I heard that you can use it to brew a potion that can uh confuse whoever drinks it for um…" he pulled out his notebook and skimmed through the pages before completing his sentence, "three point five seconds!"

Wilbur was a muggle-born Gryffindor student who was pretty much the 'social oddball' as Zari had so-kindly put it. Often shy and more comfortable around fungi than humans, Wilbur had been mercilessly bullied by some Slytherin students back in their first year. James had become friends with Wilbur after he had saved him from nearly drowning in the Black Lake. Despite his oddities however, he was one of James's best friends who actually liked him for who he was, not because he was Harry Potter's son. Not that James minded all of the attention of course…

"How on earth is that useful in any way Wilbur?" Zari asked irritably.

Wilbur opened his mouth, closed it again, and adjusted his glasses before returning to his book mumbling, "I thought it was cool."

James turned back to Luna Lou, "So you're from America?"

She smiled, "Well I was born in Britain, but, I moved to America when I was like three. We moved back because of my dad's work. It's so awkward though because that means even though I'm a third year, I have to be sorted with all of the first years." She laughed before becoming more serious, "So um, what's Hogwarts like?"

James caught Zari's eye and saw her giving him her devilish grin. James shrugged, "It's not bad. You know, so long as you stay out of the Forbidden Forest, avoid the giant squid in the Black Lake, steer clear of the Shrieking Shack, stay away from the third floor, avoid the Bloody Baron at all cost, stay out of the Chamber of Secrets, oh and never, ever go near the Whomping Willow. Kapish?"

Lou's eyes widened, "That's all huh?" Her voice squeaked when she spoke.

"Don't forget about Hagrid." Zari added from her grinned, "Oh yeah, Hagrid's probably the scariest thing about Hogwarts."

Wilbur's brows creased from behind his book but he didn't say anything; all too used to his friends' jokes.

Zari nodded enthusiastically, "Yep, Hagrid's about eight feet tall with wild black hair. He's got a blood-hound that could tear you to pieces."

If Lou looked scared before, now she looked downright terrified; her face was pale and her eyes were wide.

Wilbur slammed his book shut causing Lou to jump. He readjusted his glasses and said, "Please tell me we're not talking about Fang right?"

Zari nodded and James leaned in towards Lou, "Wanna know a little secret as to why the blood-hound's named Fang?"

"Why?" Lou whispered.

James grinned evilly at Zari who was smothering her laughter and Wilbur who was rolling his eyes.

"Back in our first year this girl, Lindsey McCoy was dared to try to pet Fang, and the next day, all they found of her was a few bones and her uniform." James kept his face straight even though he was near laughing. He would see how far his little joke could go.

Wilbur on the other hand shook his head and stood up, "Oh my God are you serious James?"

James nodded, "You remember the time Fang almost ate your face!"

Zari looked out the window, "Hey look we're almost there." She gave Lou an evil wink before getting up and leaving, "I'm gonna change."

A little less than fifteen minutes later, the Hogwarts Express was pulling up in Hogsmeade Station. Students were running around trying to locate friends or family and scrambling onto a carriage, while first years were being herded towards the boats.

"Firs' years this way! Firs' years-"

Albus and Rose walked up to the familiar face of Hagrid and gave him a hug. "Hello Hagrid! Did you have a nice summer?" Rose asked politely.

Lou turned back to James and Zari who were following Wilbur to the carriages. "Hagrid?" she mouthed at them, but James just shrugged before hopping on the rapidly filling carriages.

Once inside the carriage James and Zari started laughing. "Thank goodness we got rid of her." Zari said before frowning and punching James in the arm.

"What was that for?" He whined as he rubbed his arm where she hit him.

"That was for inviting her to stay with us."

James shrugged, "She seemed nice."

"She seemed like a stuck-up twit.""You think everyone's a stuck-up twit." Wilbur added.

Zari glared at him and James grinned, "So how were your summers?"

Wilbur's face lit up, "Mine was great! My mum and dad sent me to this science camp! A whole month of studying the growth of mold! It was so fascinating! I got some cool samples, want to see?"

James grimaced, "Sorry Wilbur, but I honestly have no interest in seeing over month-old mold. I'm glad you had a cool summer though. I got to go to Quidditch camp with Al. You should have seen the camp director's face when he heard that the famous Harry Potter's sons were at his camp. It was hilarious." He turned to Zari, "So, did you play any Quidditch over summer?"

He and Zari were both on the Gryffindor House team. He was chaser while Zari was a beater who could knock a wizard off his or her broom in ten seconds flat.

"Not much. I watched way more than I would have preferred though. It was my turn to spend summer with my dad in Germany. During the weekdays dad would practice Quidditch from about eight in the morning until seven in the evening, and during the nights and weekends he would drop me off at his penthouse while he went out to parties and dinner with his latest girlfriend."

James felt a twinge of sympathy for his friend. Zari's mother was a witch with vela blood, named Ellie while her husband was Roger Davies, chaser for the German National Quidditch team. When Roger had first seen Ellie, he had instantly been attracted and the two had three kids: Jace a sixth year Ravenclaw prefect who played as Chaser for the house team, Arlene who was a fifth year Ravenclaw prefect who played as Seeker for the house team, and then there was Zarina, better known as Zari. She was a third year Gryffindor, and probably had a better chance of being expelled than James did.

A year after she was born, Roger and Ellie divorced after Ellie found out that he had been cheating on her. Ellie moved to Godric's Hallow after that, coincidentally into the house next door to the Potters, and James and Zari had been best friends ever since.

"Next summer you should stay with my family." James said, "Every summer my whole family goes down to the Burrow to visit my Grandparents. It would be fun."

"Gee thanks for inviting me." Wilbur muttered from behind his book.

James rolled his eyes, "You could come too Wil."

Zari bit her lip in that cynical way of hers, "I don't know Wilbur; would you really want to spend a _whole _summer with the _entire _Weasley Family? I'm not entirely sure if that sounds better or worse than spending a summer with my dad."

"Ha ha funny." The carriage stopped and the three got out and made their way towards the Great Hall. "So who do you think the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher will be this year?" James asked changing the subject.

According to some of his aunts and uncles, the position of DA teacher was 'cursed' and no teacher lasted in the position longer than a year. So far this theory had proven true.

Zari shrugged and sat down at the Gryffindor table. James sat next to her withWilbur at his other side. "Whoever it is can't be worse than Professor Dink."

James nodded his head in agreement. Professor Dink was an old man who must have lived under a rock for both Wizarding Wars because he believed that there was no such thing as Dark Magic and felt that learning defense would be pointless thus resulting in his forced resignation.

"I guess we'll find out after the sorting."

The Great Hall suddenly went quiet as the sorting hat erupted into his song.

"_Welcome, welcome one and all__To the ten-thousandth sorting in this Great Hall._

_Made by four founders, so that I may sort you." _

The sorting hat paused and looked out at the crowd of students who were watching the hat waiting for it to finish its song. It turned to Professor McGonagall, "_Hmm professor, they're not a very lively crew. Are they?"_

A few students laughed and the hat continued its song."_Will you be a Gryffindor; brave and strong with nerve?_

_Or will you be a Hufflepuff; the loyal who honestly serve?_

_Maybe you'll be a Ravenclaw, with smarts truly stunning,_

_Or maybe you'll be a Slytherin whose minds are oh-so cunning?_

_None-the-less I do digress you're eager to learn your place,__Let the sorting begin, and soon to end, so with food you can stuff your face."_

The Great Hall erupted into cheers and the first years (plus Lou) who were waiting to be sorted were glancing around at each nervously.

Professor Flitwick stood to call students up to be sorted.

"Stand up we can't see you!" Someone from over near the Slytherin table shouted causing Flitwick to frown.

"Five points from Slytherin Mr. Burns!"

James heard chuckling and saw Zari grinning cleared his throat, "Abor, Jenna"

A smallish girl who moments ago had been giggling and laughing with her friends suddenly paled. She walked up to the stool and Flitwick placed the hat on her head.

The Sorting Hat muttered something to the scared first year before shouting out "Hufflepuff!"

The girl looked relieved and hopped off the stool to join the cheering Hufflepuffs. And the ceremony continued this way for a while.

Zari started flicking around little napkin bits while James half-listened to the sorting. Finally a familiar name was chosen to be sorted, "Luffman, Luna Lou."

Lou stepped forward looking nervous but exciting all the same. Surprisingly her hair had changed from blue to a pale green color.

Wilbur frowned, "Is she a metamorphmagus?"

James shrugged and Zari added irritably, "Either that or she can change her hair color _really_ quickly."

Lou sat down on the stool and Flitwick placed the hat on her head. She was nearly quivering with excitement.

"Oh jeez, please let her be sorted anywhere but Gryffindor." Zari muttered under her breath causing James to grin.

The Sorting Hat muttered for a minute and Lou sat quietly with her eyes closed when the Hat finally shouted, "Gryffindor!"

Zari cursed under her breath while James and the other Gryffindors cheered. Lou gave James a wave and skipped over to where they were sitting. She looked between Zari and Wilbur before deciding that the latter option was probably safer.

The next name called caused the hair on the back of James's neck to stand on end, "Malfoy, Scorpius."

A white-blonde haired boy with pointy features approached the stool and the Sorting Hat was placed on his head. The hat seemed to take forever deciding the house belonging to the son of his father's school-enemy. The Hat suddenly bellowed out an answer that caused the entire Great Hall to freeze, "Gryffindor!"

Scorpius Malfoy's jaw went momentarily slack and he didn't seem sure of what todo. The Malfoys had always been Slytherins according to James's dad.

There was no cheering like there had been with the other students. It wasn't until Professor Flitwick cleared his throat did a few kids clap. Malfoy looked embarrassed and sat down at the end of the Gryffindor table without looking at anyone.

Hearing his brother being called for sorting pulled James out of his reverie. The Hat barely touched Albus's head when it called out, "Gryffindor!" much to Albus's relief.

The Gryffindors went ballistic to have another Potter in their house. After a few more minutes, Rose was the last to be sorted into Gryffindor. Professor McGonagall stood up gave the Great Hall one of her rare smiles and said, "Let's eat."

Instantly food, prepared by the elves, appeared on the tables.

Lou was grinning from ear-to-ear, "Wow, this is so much cooler than my old school. In America it's not nearly as fancy as this. I guess Hogwarts is the best."

James nodded his head in agreement before laughing, "So what'd you think of Hagrid?"

Lou made a face, "You're such a liar!"

James and Zari were laughing and even Wilbur cracked a smile. _It's good to be back._

* * *

><p><strong>I feel as though I am probably biting off a little more than I can chew at this point, but I felt as though this story had to be released. I will update when I can, but as of now this is about last on my list of priorities but I feel I need to expand my horizons, so please do tell me what you think. Love it, hate it, I honestly don't care, but if you're going to give me criticism I only ask that you are nice about it. I appreciate CC but only when you aren't rude about it. Help me improve :) So, yes, I hope you enjoy. Thanks much!<strong>

**~ArtemisFrimm**


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